Plastic shoe cover



May 16, 1967 F. J. GOMOLKA 3,319,362

PLASTIC SHOE COVER Filed Sept. 6, 1966 United States Patent 3,319,362 PLASTIC SHOE CUVER Frank J. Gomolka, 934 Clinton St.,

Linden, NJ. 07037 Filed Sept. 6, 1966, Ser. No. 577,241 2 Claims. (Cl. 36-72) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a removable cover which can conveniently be mounted on a shoe to protect the shoe from injurious contact with oil or other liquids encountered in factories or shops by personnel working there- This invention relates generally to overshoes and shoe coverings. More specifically it relates to covers for shoe uppers.

It is generally well known to machinists who work in metal working factories that oil or a mixture of water soluble oil and water are used as lubricants in milling machines and other machinery. Such lubricants invariably drip upon the shoes of the machinists and quickly ruin the finish thereof. Such destruction of otherwise good shoes is of course objectionable.

Accordingly it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a cover for a shoe of a factory worker, which has self contained means to prevent oil or water from coming into contact with the upper thereof, thus preventing these lubricants from saturating into the leathers and destroy their finish.

Another object is to provide a shoe cover which is made of plastic material that is resistant to the penetration of oil or water therethrough thereby preventing these liquids from reaching the surface of the shoe uppers.

Yet another object is to provide a plastic shoe cover having self contained means to be quickly and easily snapped on and off a shoe protected by the same.

Yet another object is to provide a plastic shoe cover having shoe engaging teeth to prevent shifting thereof relative to the shoe while being worn.

Still another object is to provide a plastic shoe cover having a peripheral trough to prevent liquids from running off from the shoe cover and upon the sole of the shoe and ruin the same.

Still another object is to provide a plastic shoe cover wherein the peripheral trough has a drain means for discharging liquids collected in the trough, such drain means being located away from the shoe soles.

Still another object is to provide a plastic shoe cover having a wire spring molded around the front thereof so that it may tightly hug around the shoe front.

Other objects are to provide a plastic shoe cover that is inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, simple in design, easy to use and efiicient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the present invention shown secured on a shoe indicated by phantom lines,

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view thereof,

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view thereof, and

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional perspective view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral represents a plastic shoe cover according to the present invention wherein there is a cover canopy 11 that fits over the forward end 12 of an upper 13 of a shoe 14.

The canopy 11 is made preferably from oil and water resistant plastic material and may be in any color as preferred. The canopy is contoured to fit over the upper and it includes a lower peripheral edge 15 that encloses a wire spring 16 around the forward part thereof and a plurality of inwardly extending teeth 17 that may bite into the peripheral edge 18 of a shoe sole 19 for purpose of preventing the device from shifting relative to the shoe While being worn. A trough or channel 20 extends around the outer side of the edge 15 for purpose of capturing any oil or water that drips down upon the canopy 11, thereby preventing the same from running downward upon the sole and spoiling it. A downwardly inclined drain spout 21 is provided at each end of the trough to permit the liquid collected therein to drain off in a controlled area located on each side of the shoe arch 22 between the sole 19 and a heel 23, where the liquid will drip without touching any part of the shoe, as shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawing.

The rear portion of the canopy forms a pair of rearward extending tabs 24 which are joined to the ends of an elastic strap 25 that encircles around the rear side of the heel upper 26; the enjoined strap thus forming a loop 27.

In operative use, the worker merely inserts his shoe through the loop 27 and fits the canopy 11 over the forward part of his shoe upper. Then he makes certain that the teeth 17 properly bite against the edge 18 of the sole 19 to prevent shifting, and the'device is ready for service to protect his shoe.

Obviously this device is readily adaptable for use by other tradesmen such as painters to prevent paint from spattering upon the shoes; car wash workers and others who work around spraying water, and housewives.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it is understood that such changes will be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as is defined by the appended claims.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, What is claimed is:

1. In a shoe cover, the combination of a canopy, said canopy being contoured to fit over the top of the forward part of a shoe upper, said canopy having a lower peripheral edge for alignment with the edge of a shoe sole, the rear portion of said canopy being formed into a pair of tabs, said tabs extending rearwardly, the ends of said tabs being secured to the ends of an elastic strap to form a loop for extending around the rear of a shoe upper heel, and said canopy having self contained means for securely gripping said shoe sole and also having means for controlling the drain therefrom of liquids spilled thereupon, wherein said means for gripping said sole comprises a plurality of inwardly extending teeth on said lower peripheral edge for biting into the side edges of said sole, wherein said peripheral edge has a trough on its outer side for receiving liquid that drips from the top of said canopy, said trough having a drain spout at each end and said drain spout being located in the vicinity of the shoe arch between said sole and the heel of said shoe.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said peripheral edge includes a wire spring within the forward portion thereof for bearing against the said sole edge.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 900,499 10/1908 Eckhard 36-7.4.X 1,023,417 4/1912 DeVore 3672 1,383,905 7/1921 Bunnell et al 3672 2,436,187 2/ 1948 Bestland 36-72 PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A SHOE COVER, THE COMBINATION OF A CANOPY, SAID CANOPY BEING CONTOURED TO FIT OVER THE TOP OF THE FORWARD PART OF A SHOE UPPER, SAID CANOPY HAVING A LOWER PERIPHERAL EDGE FOR ALIGNMENT WITH THE EDGE OF A SHOE SOLE, THE REAR PORTION OF SAID CANOPY BEING FORMED INTO A PAIR OF TABS, SAID TABS EXTENDING REARWARDLY, THE ENDS OF SAID TABS BEING SECURED TO THE ENDS OF AN ELASTIC STRAP TO FORM A LOOP FOR EXTENDING AROUND THE REAR OF A SHOE UPPER HEAL, AND SAID CANOPY HAVING SELF CONTAINED MEANS FOR SECURELY GRIPPING SAID SHOE SOLE AND ALSO HAVING MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE DRAIN THEREFROM OF LIQUIDS SPILLED THEREUPON, WHEREIN SAID MEANS FOR GRIPPING SAID SOLE COMPRISES A PLURALITY OF INWARDLY EXTENDING TEETH ON SAID LOWER PERIPHERAL EDGE FOR BITING INTO THE SIDE EDGES OF SAID SOLE, WHEREIN SAID PERIPHERAL EDGE HAS A TROUGH ON ITS OUTER SIDE FOR RECEIVING LIQUID THAT DRIPS FROM THE TOP OF SAID CANOPY, SAID TROUGH HAVING A DRAIN SPOUT AT EACH END AND SAID DRAIN SPOUT BEING LOCATED IN THE VICINITY OF THE SHOE ARCH BETWEEN SAID SOLE AND THE HEEL OF SAID SHOE. 